I bought 3 of these bags — one in each color for each family member. They're comfortable, lightweight, easy to wash, and it's amazing how much fits inside for a bag this size. I should also mention the ring at the bottom of the bag for attaching the document pouch — I bought the pouch for all 3 bags too, and it's such a brilliant idea that came in very handy on my trips.
One small issue worth mentioning: on the very first day I used mine, back in 2019 while traveling in the UK, the shoulder strap started to separate at the seam. I sewed it myself, and that repair held strong through years of continued travel. it was recently that I finally reached out to Customer Service with a photo, mentioning I suspected the stitching was placed too close to the seam. They replaced the bag immediately, free of charge, even after all that time. I am definitely going to be buying this brand's travel gear from now on.
8/01/26
Am female, over 40. Have several: one strictly my “go bag” packed for emergency get aways.
Others for day use. S tragically packed, excellent resource. Also good for your groceries.
Had many for decades. Affordable. Sturdy.
Highly recommend
Holds a lot of goodies! Great for trips and packing for the day (picnics, etc). More floppy than expected but certainly well made and seemed like well- wearing material. Did very well on my 2 weeks all over France and to Iceland!
Generally very happy with the pack. It's thoughtfully designed, and it just got its first washing. I really wish the straps were 4-6" longer. I guess my shoulders are a bit bigger than Rick's.
I honestly do not understand how this pack gets such a high rating. I don't like to blast a product over small issues but this product is poorly designed and I am very disappointed with it.
The pack was gifted to me for use on a coach tour of Ireland. I asked for it based on the description in Rick Steves Store website.
On the positve side, the 3 main compartments worked well. Two light jackets, a tour book, snacks, MP3 and earbuds fit well and the range of pockets made them relatively easy to organize.
But, the negatives far out way the compartments.
The shoulder straps are terrible. They are way to short and narrow and lack useful padding. I'm average build and the straps dug into my arm pits even when only wearing a shirt, to the point of leaving marks, and were so short it was difficult to put the pack on without contorting my arms. It was like trying to use a childs pack.
I often resorted to trying to carrying the pack by the hand strap, but that was uncomfortable also. That strap was too short and narrow to be comfortable.
The two side pockets can not hold a reasonably sized bottle securely. They are not deep enough and there is no elastic to speak of to securely hold a bottle. Mine frequently fell out.
Although the fabric seemed durable, it has no structure at all. Filling the pack was difficult and items would some times spill out because the soft fabric would fold or collapse. People may comment positively about the softness of the pack, but that is not what is needed in a pack.
The pack has no water repellancy. But unlike the other negatives, that is probably some thing that can be resolved with a spray on treatment.
I am surprised that Mr. Steves sells this product for tourists. Fix all the straps, make the side pockets bigger for bottles, and use a better material, and you may have something. But I strongly discourage buying this pack as it is now.
Love it, just like my old one I’ve had for probably 20+ years. Thank you!!
Great backpack replacing mine from ten years ago🤗
lightweight, durable, just the right size for a day pack, well-designed pockets.
Love the day pack!
Great love it. This is my third one.
Excellent
nice to roll up have an extra bag.
Looks bigger than it actually is.
I left my original bag in an Uber in Vienna. The updated Civitas bag with zippers for water bottles is even better.
Nice very lite weight just what I was looking for. However the shoulder strap length is short very tight with both straps over the shoulders.
I love my new plum color Civita bag. I've had my old Civita green color bag for at least 20 years and it's beginning to show some wear but I still use it. We have also used our Rick Steves suitcases on many trips over the years. No complaints. It's all good.
This is my third day pack. I love them! I noticed that the newest one doesn't have a hole in the zipper, which I used to attach hand sanitizer and other small, useful things. I miss that. Overall, however, these packs are perfect for traveling.
The day pack is so well organized and seems to be very good quality. I look forward to using it often.
I found this daypack perfectly sized and easily washable. It's become my go to daily bag for all my travels. It replaced a larger bag and I don't miss the bigger bag at all.
My third one in 15 years but I use it every day. Great bag!
This pack had decent reviews and I bought it as a gift for my husband. It is in no way suitable for a man. I am a smaller woman and it’s barely big enough for me. My husband is around 200 pounds and it was laughable on him; it literally looked like a child’s pack. It seems to be good quality but I wish it had been listed as only suitable for small women. I didn’t bother to return it because then I would have paid shipping both ways and it was inexpensive. I can donate it and hopefully someone will be happy.
Thanks for the honest feedback, Madeline. The Civita Day Pack is built for a day of sightseeing — just enough room for a water bottle, guidebook, and the essentials you need on the go. It's intentionally compact and lightweight, not a full-size pack. We're sorry it wasn't the right fit.
Years ago, I purchased a Day Pack from Rick and used it until it wore out. I am looking forward to using the new pack on my upcoming travels. It is the perfect size for daily use.
A little too small for reg size H2O bottles and no luggage sleeve. But a good bag!
Great product. Bought one a few years ago and just bought one for my wife.
Plenty of storage and easily accessible.
Lightweight and sturdy! Big enough for day trips and sturdy enough to easily carry 8kg chocolate home with me.
A little tricky to navigate inside, but that’s fine as it excels where I need it to for travel - lightweight, packable, enough pockets to be useful but not excessive, and seriously durable. I started using this as a daily bag cause of toddler needs, and I have used (a prior version of) this bag almost EVERY DAY FOR TWO YEARS, and it’s still in great shape. I just would like a different color now.
Good quality product. Arrived on time. Have the back pack also and good quality as well.
Just the right size!
This is my second one. Love it!
Lightweight, roomy, excellent design, very comfortable. I love it.
Good stitching and quality, way more spacious than it looks, super light.